Swimming Horror
by TwiliDragonRin
Summary: A special day is upon Link and his friends and all decide to spend a day at Lake Hylia but when Zelda decides to try and exclude herself from the picture, Link gets suspicious about things.


"Link, I can't believe you! You always cheat when we race to Lon Lon Ranch!" Malon yelled as I turn back to the rest of the girls.

I just stand there, smirking as Saria, Malon, and Zelda catch up to me. Just as Malon said, we had raced over to Lon Lon Ranch. However, she thinks I have cheated my way here, which is clearly not true!

"I did not cheat Malon," I said to her as she and the others walked up to me. "You know I would never stoop as low as to cheat on anything." I sighed. _'Even if I was about to lose to some girls,'_ I muttered.

"I heard that!" Saria walked up to my face and poked my chest with her index finger. "You don't think any of us are going to beat you just because we were girls?" I stare at Saria then to Malon and Zelda, seeing scowls on their faces.

"That's not what I'm saying-"

"Guys, can we leave him alone." Zelda smiles faintly as she walks closely to me. "Besides, we all can get him later, right now let's just rest." Leave it to Zelda to always save me from these little predicaments. She walks over to the nearest hay stack and sits down on it.

"Alright fine, but I have a question to ask you all." Saria sits down on the grass, seeming to camouflage perfectly with her green dress and tights. "What are we going to do for Saturday? It's the anniversary of Link finally getting rid of Ganondorf and saving Hyrule."

All the girls cheered and clapped for me. Zelda went over to me and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug. I took a deep breath and blush a slight tint shade of pink. I knew she felt my rapidly pounding heart beat against her, because she pulled away and placed a hand over her chest as she blushed.

"So what are we going to do that day?" Saria asked, interrupting our moment.

"Maybe we can go to Castle Town and explore around the Temple of Time," Malon suggested.

Saria shook her head. "No, that's not special enough."

"We could go to Lake Hylia and spend the day there," I said. Malon and Saria both gave me a big grin; I knew they liked the idea. I turn to Zelda and see what her thoughts about the plan are, but I saw that her face turned pale. "Zelda…is something wrong?"

"I-I-I just remembered…I have so much p-paper work to fill out on that day….. I won't be able to make it….. I'm so sorry guys….."

I place my hands on her shoulders and look deeply into her eyes. "Zel, it's okay. You don't have to feel so nervous about it."

"R-Really…?"

Malon hugs her closely, "Yeah, really Zellie. We understand and its okay."

Saria smiles, "We can reschedule, it will be no fun without you."

"Oh…great." The sound in Zelda's voice sounded as if she wasn't looking forward to it.

"Well it's getting late, me and Link should head back to the forest." I agreed with Saria.

"Then I should go back to the castle," Zelda sighed. She said her good-bye's to us and started to run off.

"So Link, are you going to see if you can pull some strings so Zelda can come on Saturday?" Of course, I nodded to Malon's question. Like Saria said, it wouldn't be fun without her. "Nice, well I better go get the horses into their pens." She waved to us and walked to the roaming field of Lon Lon Ranch.

"Let's go Link, we should hurry back." Saria walked out of Lon Lon's entrance and I soon followed after. Saturday was coming up soon and I couldn't wait. I just hope I am able to bring Zelda on that day, it wouldn't be the same without her….

* * *

~O~

* * *

Today is Friday, the rest of the week just trailed by fast. I am on my way towards Hyrule Castle to see at least one of Zelda's advisors and try to postpone her work. As I entered to halls of the castle, I was already greeted by the knights and maids that were roaming to halls.

I tapped the shoulder of the nearest knight close to me, "Hey Jim, can you tell me where I can find Impa?"

"Oh yeah, she's at the training grounds. If you hurry, you might get to her in time."

"Thanks, keep doing what you do best!" I run down the hall and head downstairs to the training hall. When I entered the room, my ears picked up a sound and I immediately ducked my head. I looked up at what I ducked from and I saw a spear jabbed against the wall where my head was. My eyes widen, I was so close to dying.

"Oh, haha, sorry Link, I didn't thought someone would actually come in when I was training." I stared over at Impa, my eyes still wide. "So why are you here? I know you so well that you only come to see me when it involves Zelda." Wow, she does know me well. "So what seems to be the problem?"

"Well…you know tomorrow is the anniversary of me defeating Ganondorf." She nodded and I sighed. "Well, Malon, Saria, Zelda and I were supposed to go to Lake Hylia tomorrow but Zelda is caught up in her work. I came here to see if you can postpone her work to Sunday." All Impa did was blink in confusion, did she even understand what I said? "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Link, Zelda doesn't have any work to do." My eyes widen. "Her father relieved her from the work for the whole week, didn't she told you?"

Why would Zelda lie to us about having work on a special day…. Did she not want to spend a day with us…. Why would she lie to me?

"Link?" Impa's words interrupted my thoughts. "Is something wrong?"

"No…but something **will** be wrong. Thank you Impa but I must go." I walked out of the training room and started up the stairs for Zelda's room. _'How could she do this to me…..?'_

* * *

~O~

* * *

I ran through Zelda's room to see that she isn't here. I sighed, sounding a bit frustrated. Where could Zelda be at a time like this, I need to know where she-I hear someone running up the stairs, oh crap I think its Zelda! I had to hide quickly. I franticly look around her room; my eyes spot the doors of her wardrobe. I opened them up and jumped in, immediately closing the doors but leaving one opened just a crack.

As the door opened to the room of the princess', I see the princess herself walking into her room, removing her shoes and launching herself into bed. My heart pounded viciously in my chest, I knew if she found me here she would be so pissed at me….

"Tomorrow is when we're supposed to go to Lake Hylia…. But I can't go, I just can't." She sighed sadly, something deep down in me wanted to know why she lied to me…to her friends. "Link…I wish I could tell you…I'm so sorry."

"Then why don't you tell me yourself?" The saddened princess let out a tiny yelp as she turned around to see me walking out of her wardrobe. "I have time."

"Link? Why the hell were you hiding in my wardrobe?" she yelled. I knew I would get a yelling of a lifetime because of this but I did have my reasons. She was waiting for me, her sapphire eyes piercing through mine; they felt like daggers to my soul. Geez…all of this for just hiding in her wardrobe, I need to calm her down soon.

"Well why did you lie to me, Malon and Saria?" Her glare faded away and she turned pale at my words. "You made up that story of being busy tomorrow, of being busy this whole week. If anything…I'm the one who should be angry at you!" Her eyes widened, something inside told me that I shouldn't go any further with this but my mind didn't listened. "I have done nothing but show you compassion and kindness and you repay me like this! Why did you had to lie, and on a special day! I'm hurt Zelda, you know that! I'm hurt!"

I turned away for a second and I heard a door slam, I looked around and I heard crying from Zelda's bathroom door. I slowly walked up to the door and placed my ear upon it. I hear crying, Zelda's crying to be exact. I made her cry…I can't believe I actually made her cry. I can't even believe that she lied to me, I feel so betrayed. But still, that doesn't give me an excuse to yell at my own best friend!

I knocked on the door gently, "Zelda…? Are you okay?" I heard nothing but crying and water running. "I'm coming in." I took the knob and opened the door; Zelda was sitting in the tub. She was hugging her knees; I could see she was so miserable. "Zelda…I'm sorry for yelling at you, I really, really didn't mean it. You didn't deserve to be yelled at."

"No…I did deserve it….. I just couldn't face all of you if you knew why I lied." She cried even more. I went to the tub and wrapped my arms tightly around her.

I felt her tears against my shoulder. I tensed up a bit but soon relaxed. I couldn't let her think she's going to go through this alone. "Zelda, why did you lie to us? You can tell me, I'm here for you." And I am, I would never want to let her suffer through anything alone.

"Link…I'm…I'm horribly, horribly terrified of the water," she sniffled. I blinked at her, she can't be that scared of the water. "I-I had this accident when I was younger. You see…I-I was three years old and I just found the garden you first met me in. I was with my mother and I wondered off to the pond. I was looking into the water and I smiled as I saw my own reflection. I reached down to get myself but I fell in the water. I breathed in water and I was trying to get up, but I couldn't…I…I…." She stopped talking and cried even more. She cried against me so hard, she was trembling in my arms. I felt her heart beat so shakily, I didn't know it was even possible.

"It's okay Zelda, its okay, I'm here, I'm here," I whisper to her. I feel her trembles lighten up a bit. "We won't force you to come since it's so bad…. You should have told us from the beginning. We would have understood."

"I-I-hic-I know…" she hugs me tighter than before. I kiss her head lightly, hoping that it will bring more comfort to her. And it worked, she calmed down a bit and her tears slowly stopped. "Link…" she said softly.

"Yes Zelda?" I looked down at her, staring into her eyes.

"I want to go to Lake Hylia with you…"

* * *

~O~

* * *

The day finally came, the day Malon, Saria, and I have been dreaming but the day Zelda has been dreading. It's Saturday, I defeated Ganondorf and saved Hyrule this day last year. Today was sunny, no clouds in sight, it's almost like the Goddesses are praising and wanting us to celebrate today.

I went over to Hyrule Castle to pick up Zelda today. She was holding onto my waist tightly that I could barely breathe. I felt her heart pound so much as she was clutching on to me. Her fear of water must be so strong; Zelda was so nervous on the whole ride over.

As we were arriving at Lake Hylia, I could see Malon and Saria setting up a little picnic for all of us. Zelda got off Epona as soon as we stopped, and the other girls had walked over and greeted us.

"Finally you two came, we were beginning to worry about you both," Malon said as she hugged me. I could have sworn that I saw a little anger in Zelda's eyes. Maybe I was seeing things. "Come on, we fixed up a picnic for this day and we don't want the food to go to waste."

"Aww guys, you didn't have to do this." I couldn't help but smile.

"Oh but we did Link, and its okay with us, right Malon," Saria turned to Malon and she only replied with a nod. "See? We're glad enough to add this little lunch for this special occasion."

I smiled more, all this just for me, for what I did for Hyrule, this is so touching. My thoughts were broken by Epona's neigh, we all turned to her and she was going out of control. I ran at her and tried to calm her down, something was scaring Epona badly but I couldn't tell what. Something inside told me that whatever, it is it was very bad.

Into the distance, I saw something charge towards us and at the time, I could not believe it. It was a moblin, one of Ganondorf's followers; I didn't actually think that any of these would still be alive considering that I killed all of them. It was looking for a beating, it was looking for me.

"You kill Ganondorf! Me Kill you!" it yelled out.

I let go of Epona's reigns and pulled out my sword. He came after me and pointed his spear towards me, then charged at full speed. I jump out of the way and thrust my sword into his left arm. It roared in pain and I jumped away from it again. I turned back to the girls and saw their eyes filled with fear. I can't let them get hurt; I couldn't live with myself if they did.

"Malon, take Saria and Zelda to the island and hurry, I'll be fine, so go!" I yelled out. She nodded and grabbed each of their arms and fled, I saw them running to the bridge. It looked like Malon was having a hard time getting Zelda over the bridge.

I turned back to the moblin and it slashed my left arm deeply. I cringed; I dropped my sword and cried out (without actually crying). I heard Zelda cry out my name.

The moblin turned to the girls. "Since you kill master, me kill your friends." My eyes widened, this was exactly what I wanted to avoid. He charged at them with his spear pointing at them.

The girls tried to run to the other side of the bridge but the moblin's spear struck one of the ropes and the bridge broke apart. The girls fell into the water, I looked and Zelda was struggling to keep herself on the surface. Her fear, because of her fear, Zelda doesn't know how to swim. Malon and Saria can't get Zelda; even they are struggling to swim. Zelda was slowly sinking into the water.

I quickly ran towards the lake, I ignored the moblin and dived down into the water. I held my breath and swam down the water; I kicked my feet quickly to rush my swimming. I see Zelda floating motionless in the water; I was beginning to fear the worst already. I reached my arms out to her, my feet kicking faster.

My arms wrapped around her chest, I can feel her heart slowing each second. I swim desperately up to the surface, my own heart slowing each second as well.

_'I can't let her down. I promised her I wouldn't let her down,' _I thought to myself._ 'I promised….I promised..….I promised…I….'_

* * *

~O~

* * *

My eyes slowly open and I find myself in the castle's nursery. I think I remember what happened, honestly I don't…I passed out in the water…I think. I try to look around and I see Zelda lying on a bed next to me, tubes sticking out of her nose. Oh Goddesses…she looks so bad. Her dress was removed from her, the reason must have been because it must have been clinging onto her and prevented her from breathing more.

I get out of my bed but a sudden pain on my left arm stops me from getting up more. I take a little look at myself first, see what's causing it. My shirt was removed, revealing my upper body and all of my right arm was bandaged up as for my chest too. I'm guessing that I must have been scratched up when I was swimming to the surface.

I looked so bad…not even I realized how bad it was. I took a deep breath and finally tried to get myself up. I took a few steps and walked over to Zelda's bed. I stared at her deeply; I wish I never agreed to let her come. This was my fault, oh Zelda, please wake up soon.

I hear a slight noise coming from her, with my hopes held up high and patiently waited for Zelda to wake up. Her sapphire eyes slowly fluttered as she opened them, eyes filled with beauty and wonder.

"Where…where am I?" she spoke softly. Her voice seemed so weak. "L-Link…where-" she seemed to be caught off by something. I noticed her staring at me intently; I see her blushing so much. I think-knowing her- it would be because she's staring at my bare chest.

"Zelda…I'm so glad you're okay." I gently caressed her cheek, feeling her cheek blush more. "You, Saria, and Malon all fell in the water and you drowned. I think I passed out while I was pulling you out of the water."

"B-But Link…your chest, your arm…are you okay?" Worry filled her eyes, I knew she cared deeply.

"I'm fine Zelda, but you are not. Look at you; you have tubes sticking out of you…. You're having trouble breathing by yourself. And this is all fault, I should have said no to you when you asked to come, even with your fear."

"I'll be fine Link, I'm alive aren't I? And it's because of you…," she smiles softly. "It's not your fault, you couldn't have known. I asked to come so it's my fault."

I lean in closer, our faces so close to each other. I can feel my heart starting to race inside my chest. She seemed so peaceful, even after waking up from certain death.

"Zelda…I'm so happy to see you smiling again." I can feel her blushing even more…her sweet, beautiful blushing.

"Thank you…for saving me Link…."

Her lips press against mine, I can feel her love pour into me. My heart pounds so violently inside me, as I can feel hers pound the same way; I have always longed to show my love to her. This girl…who's been there with me since the day it all started, the girl I've been for whenever she needed me. I am so happy to have her in my life, and I wish to be with her always.


End file.
